Sensor Technology

In the forest products industry there is a wide range of sensor applications for product performance monitoring. There is a push for real time data acquisition for a variety of responses: stress, temperature, moisture content, relative humidity, emissions, sound, and chemistry. Likewise, with the push towards products with multifunctional capabilities, segments of the forest products industry would benefit by having the ability to incorporate nanosized or micron sized sensors into the product while not affecting the integrity of the original function of the product. The typical example is the incorporation of sensors within paper used for food packaging, which detect food spoilage, toxic chemicals, temperature or structural integrity of the package itself. Sensing technologies that help us understand nanoscale interactions are also greatly needed. There are several projects that are being considered at Purdue, including: In the forest products industry there is a wide range of sensor applications for product performance monitoring. There is a push for real time data acquisition for a variety of responses: stress, temperature, moisture content, relative humidity, emissions, sound, and chemistry. Likewise, with the push towards products with multifunctional capabilities, segments of the forest products industry would benefit by having the ability to incorporate nanosized or micron sized sensors into the product while not affecting the integrity of the original function of the product. The typical example is the incorporation of sensors within paper used for food packaging, which detect food spoilage, toxic chemicals, temperature or structural integrity of the package itself. Sensing technologies that help us understand nanoscale interactions are also greatly needed. There are several projects that are being considered at Purdue, including: